The music industry was a very tightly controlled business not so very long ago. The record labels made the bulk of the money and the folks who bore the brunt of the work got what was left over. Surprising as it sounds, that is how it worked.
Songwriters come up with lyrics that are selected by an A&R (Artist and Repertoire) representative who then, gives it to a band who proceed to record it. The album sells millions, the band goes on tour and the record company rakes in the profits. This was how agreements were set up. The rest of the people who were involved had to shut up and put up with it, if they wanted to make it in the industry.
Things did change slightly over the years, and a little more was shared by the record companies but it was nothing compared to what they were still making. Then along came the Internet and its fabulous sharing concepts. Suddenly, anyone and everyone could sell their talent without being slaves to the record companies. They could get popular over the internet, master their own tracks and even cut their own CDs for sale.
Several artists were discovered this way with apparent financial benefits. This gave people bargaining power when record labels wanted to hire their talent to a roster of accomplished musicians in the business.
However, it is not easy. Taking the internet route involves a lot of hard work and perseverance. Despite the overwhelming odds that an artist has to overcome to making it big, the internet has given millions an opportunity that they could only dream of before, and thus has leveled the playing field for artists and bands that were denied access to, prior to the internet.